The Legend of Zelda: The Sapphire of Shadow
by Kentoushi87
Summary: Link, raised by the Gerudo to be the ultimate thief, has always had an adventurous life. However when the responsibility of playing bodyguard to a certain blonde princess is suddenly thrust upon him, what will he do? Seize the opportunity of course.
1. The request of a humble king

**AN: Well this is a redone version of my original idea for a Zelda fic. I intend for this one to be much better and I actually have a solid idea for how the story will end. If you read the original prologue then you'll find I made a few changes as well as extending the intro. Well, hope you all enjoy, I've been planning on this fic for a long time and the moment is finally here.**

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The black figure dashed up the side of the great and mighty Death Mountain, home to the rock people, the Gorons. To the untrained eye, it would appear as if nothing was moving on the side of the now dormant volcano, however those who had trained their eyes to catch what could normally not be seen, would find the black silhouette of a man scaling the cliff that led to the peak of the mountain. In fact the only way anyone would notice that he was even there would be the gleaming sapphire eyes that held locked towards the top of the mountain, unwavering towards their goal. If one were to see the young man's face, they would note a firm and defined jaw, and state of unruly blonde locks that framed his face, and of course his deep blue eyes, that could pierce the soul of anyone their gaze fell upon. He was stealthy, undetectable, and determined... he was Link of the Gerudo, more commonly known as The Sapphire of Shadow.

Of course only few outside of the Gerudo tribe knew his true name, The Sapphire of Shadow had been a title given to him by the townspeople of Kakariko, mainly due to his most notable trait, his cerulean blue eyes that enchanted women with a single glance, and cold as ice when coming in for the kill. He was never seen in a single area for more than two days, always moving, constantly training, and of course being raised by the Gerudo... perpetually stealing, although not many knew this as he had never been caught, and no one would suspect the man who had slain Morpha, demolished Volvogia, and cut down the twin witches who cast their spells on unfortunate travelers who crossed their paths.

He himself found the name rather amusing, although seen as a hero he had done none of those things for anyone other than himself.

With a slight grunt he climbed the last stretch of the peak and rolled onto the level ground, he had business here, and by damned if he wasn't going to get it done quickly and efficiently. With a smirk he adjusted his coal black tunic, cracking his neck to the side as he adjusted the sheath on his back that housed his dual scimitars, a gift he had been given by the gerudo when he had turned fourteen and decided to begin his travels. He glanced at the large sleeping goron who lived on the side of the mountain, chuckling a bit as he heard it's thunderous snores. Not wanting to waste anymore time he steadily walked into the entrance of the Death Mountain Crater, though the scorching heat did not affect him.

"Hmm, well I do have to hand it to the Great Fairies... they do know their magic." He muttered as he glanced down appreciatively at the tunic that all three of the fairies had enchanted with all purpose weather protection.

It took a mere twenty seconds to travel from the top of the crater down to the bottom where the entrance to the Goron domain was located. "Hmm... what the..." Link narrowed his eyes and glanced around as he climbed down the two top levels of the domain. "Where are they?" He muttered before moving to the edge of the second level and looking down, finding all the Gorons gathered at the floor level, crowded in front of Darunia's chambers.

With a sigh he jumped down and maneuvered his way through the crowd, stepping into the curved corridor that led to the throne room. He halted as voices began to carry towards his ears, concealing himself in the shadows.

"I do not know where brother is!" Link immediately recognized Darunia's rough voice, and he sounded a bit exasperated.

"Have you no way of contacting him?" Another gruff voice replied, though sounding pleading and familiar, Link could not place where he had heard it before. "This is rather urgent!"

'_Hmm... urgent eh, a job possibly?' _Link smirked a bit and adjusted his cap, moving enough to angle his vision to see the possible employer, only for his eyes to widen at the sight.

There, dressed in elegant red and gold robes, standing in the throne room of the Goron's rather than his own in Hyrule castle... was none other than Dangero Harkinian, the King of Hyrule.

'_SHIT!' _The blonde thief cursed loudly in his mind as his left hand flew down to the small leather pouch attached to his belt, which housed a certain ocarina he had retrieved during his last intrusion into the castle. _'There's no possible way they could have found out I took it... that replica was handcrafted by Saria...' _He turned to leave but as the goddesses would have it, Darunia caught a glimmer of his gold gauntlets and suddenly called out.

"Brother, you're here!" He boomed, causing Link's back to straighten and him to curse under his breath as he slowly turned around and entered the chambers.

"Ah... Darunia!" Link replied with false enthusiasm as the elder Goron came over and wrapped him in a bone crushing hug. "URK!" He gasped for air and sighed with relief when the hug was unusually short.

"So you are The Sapphire of Shadow, are you?"

Link's demeanor instantly became serious as he turned his gaze towards the taller man. His eyes narrowed, though he put on a front of respect. "And to what do I owe the pleasure your majesty?" His gaze drifted behind the king, where six armed guards stood in place. Cautiously he moved one hand behind his back, his fingertips grazing over the bottom buckle of the sheath that held his scimitars.

Dangero put on a slight smirk and motioned for one of his guards to step forward. This action of course, caused Link to instantly release the buckle and grip the hilt that slid out. _'Great... just what I need, all of Hyrule after me for the beheading of their king and his royal guards... eh beats a cold dark cell in the dungeon.' _He thought with a mental sigh as the guard moved his hand toward the sword at his side... only to completely pass the sword and reach into a small black bag, pulling out a neat and rather extravagant scroll and handed it over to the young blonde.

Curious, Link quickly re-sheathed the scimitar and grabbed the scroll, breaking the seal and unraveling it as his eyes scanned from top to bottom.After a few moments he rolled the scroll back up and arched an eyebrow."A celebration at the castle... what sort of celebration?" He asked in confusion as he looked to the king, the guards behind him gave a shocked look as if what he had said was a denial of common knowledge.

"Why, It's the Princesses Coming of Age party!" The King exclaimed, throwing his arms out proudly. "All of the suitors will be attending for the screening process, as well as the nobles and royals of the surrounding Kingdoms."

Link chuckled a bit as he stuffed the invitation into his pouch. "So not only is it a way to find a suitor for the Princess, but a way to show your power to the other Kingdoms... I have been wondering why all of the scattered army men had been called back to the castle, there are hardly any of them left out in the field... but that still brings up the question... why invite me?"

Dangero looked down at the young man with piercing eyes at that comment. "To tell the honest truth my boy... you have become quite the celebrity in Hyrule... many of those invited are anxious to meet, The Sapphire of Shadow..."

A scowl adorned Link's face at the thought of having to put on a show for a bunch of royals, he actually had no problem with the royal family of Hyrule, as they were known for their kindness, albeit they were also know for their stubbornness. "You're gonna use me as a show of strength, my services aren't... exactly... free?" He paused as the gears in his mind began to turn at top speed. _'WAIT A MOMENT!! Free invitation... royal family... huge castle with security gathered in one place... and one enormously large treasure room...' _He began to grin at the idea, though he had been able to steal the Ocarina of Time, it was the only thing he had been able to steal on that trip as the guards made their rounds quicker near the treasure room than anywhere else. "Very well... I'll attend."

"Ah very good then, if so I have one more request..."

Link gave an odd look to the way the King's face scrunched up as if in disgust at a thought. _'Well it can't be too horrible.'_

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Link cursed under his breath as he watched the endless scenery of Hyrule Field out of the carriage window, the King had insisted that he ride along with him to the castle, where they could speak more freely. He did not enjoy being hauled around in a small box with no view of where an attack could be coming from, although he did have to admit he spent much more time watching the scenery during those few hours than he head during his three years of traveling over the plains countless times. _'How dull though... I miss the Stalchildren, they were so much fun to kill, it's been eight years since I've seen one of them.' _He frowned upon that thought for a moment, Stalchild were the corpses of children who had died in past wars brought to life by dark intent of humans, and no matter how many times slain would reform the next night.

The only way for such beings to be put to rest was for a mother to be sacrificed for the sake of her child during a ritual of druids. A ritual of druids was an ancient magic of Hyrule, however banned from use due to the nature of most of it's spells which almost always required sacrifices. _'If someone caused such a ritual then the resounding magic echo must have been absorbed by someone... the child perhaps? But who's been messing with Anima Magicks, all the books containing spells were burned... odd I never gave much thought to it before.'_

The blonde was shaken out of his thoughts by the King's booming voice. "Well m'boy I have been wondering for sometime now, The Sapphire of Shadow is obviously an alias, what is your real name." He inquired arching an eyebrow in question.

Links eyes suddenly turned a bit colder at the question, his real name was known only by the woman of the Gerudo, and they would not reveal his name upon pain of death, the only others outside of the Gerudo who knew his name were Saria of the forest, and several Zora, as well as the Professor who lived out on Lake Hylia. It wasn't a matter of keeping his name secret, it was just that mainly most people never asked and merely addressed him via his alias, and as such he had kept his name a secret to almost all since then. He was in a slight predicament however, he needed to be courteous to the King in order to maintain his invitation to the party and refusing to give his name would certainly seem rude, and he wasn't really willing to gamble with this opportunity of a lifetime and so...

"Link, of the Gerudo..." He replied after a short pause, his gaze traveling away from the window. "My name is fine to tell, however I would prefer that you not reveal where I am from to anyone... I have made quite a few enemies in the line of bandits and warlords, the last thing I need is an army of thieves and rebels attacking Gerudo Fortress in an attempt to kill me." He warned in a grave tone. _'On second thought, that does sound a bit exciting and the girls would get a kick out of the slaughter.' _

A moment later, Dangero nodded, stroking his beard. "Very well, I shall keep your secret... ah we're crossing the drawbridge." He announced as the sound of the wheels rolling changed to a more resounding an echoing sound.

Turning his head to the side, the young blonde found that they were indeed past the town gates and entering the busy world of Castle Town.

"A truly prospering town yes, everyone is happy and safe in Castle Town, the guards see to that." The King spoke in a boasting tone, pointing over to a market stall where numerous people were crowded around. "It's always busy like this, only proves to show how wondrous and great the Kingdom of Hyrule is."

Links eyes narrowed as he allowed his gaze to travel past the crowd and toward an alleyway where the dark silhouette of two Hylian guards raising their spears high and striking them down upon another figure, this one sprawled on the ground and appearing to be trying to crawl away. _'Feh... only so cheerful looking because the guards will probably beat them down should the townspeople act otherwise. Those people are grabbing food from the stalls like crazy, meaning the prices have been lowered during this time, he probably pays the stall owners to lower their prices during times when important people visit, making the land look richer than usual.' _Link tore his gaze from the crowd of people and back towards the King. "Yes... a truly great kingdom."

It wasn't five minutes later when the carriage pulled to a stop and the King stepped out, a moment and one deep breath later, Link followed him. In slight surprise however, Link found that the carriage had not led them all the way up to the castle, but just at the foot of the raised hill in front of the castle gates where the guards normally did their roundabout paces, however at this moment the outer courtyard was set up in a much different matter. A large fenced off area was prominent in the center of the small field, with quite a few stallions galavanted around, along the dirt path numerous carriages trailed up, parked along the walls. Without realizing it, Link found that the King had begun walking, flanked by several of his guards.

"So it seems everyone has arrived already... when is the princesses birthday anyway?" Link asked as he fell in step behind the King, slightly curious as he realized the invitation actually had no set date inscribed on it.

King Harkinian, as well as the guards surrounding gave the young teen an odd look, before the King spoke up, smiling a bit. "She will turn the age of eighteen in five days time... as for the guests, well the only ones here at the moment are the suitors, here to spend time with the princess as well as get to know their possible future wife, also to impress the other maidens who have gathered for the celebration as well."

"So in other words, this castle is pretty much now home to almost every prince and princess in the land for the next five days." With a thoughtful look, Link glanced off to the side where the fence posts were set up, finding several teens barely older than himself gathered together, and adorned in rather gaudy clothing, obviously an attempt to impress the princess. "And over there?"

"Hmm, a small grove set aside for the Princes to ride their steeds, would you like to go see them? From what I'm told there are some very talented riders dwelling within these Princes." The Kings tone obviously let of that he was pleased with the suitors his daughter had to pick from.

Link however, was not given time to answer as the King began making his way over towards the group of young women that had gathered by a set of umbrella stands that had been set up for spectators to watch, before he was within view of the women however, Link smirked a bit and muttered under his breath. _**"Poell..."**_Indeed, unknown to most was the ancient language of Hyrule which granted a closer connection to the goddesses, yet Link himself was truly well versed in the magicks of the old language. No sooner had the word slipped from between his lips, did the black tunic the blonde was wearing before he vanished from sight completely unbeknownst to King Harkinian.

"Well well, what is going on here my dears!?" The booming voice of King Harkinian coming from behind them caused several of the young girls to jump. "Ah, Princess Midaro you're here as well, I didn't expect to see you here so soon." As the King spoke, one of the girls stepped forward, her long black hair curled in a ridiculous fashion as she batted her eyelashes, no doubt in an attempt to show off her "Lady Like" attributes.

"Oh yes, we arrived late last night. Father insisted that we make it as early as possible in order to celebrate Zelda's coming of age before the true festivities begin!" The sickly sweet tone used by the young girl was enough to make Link roll his eyes as he observed the group quietly, unseen.

A quick glance gave Link all the information he needed to know about the young ladies. They were dawned in extravagant garbs of the most fine silk, their corsets made them look far too skinny for them to be in good health, and their expressions instantly gave off the impression of superiority... all except one that is.

Her beauty was more subtle, and yet she was still breathtakingly gorgeous, deep innocent violet eyes trailed up to King Harkinian's gaze, the young woman had long sunshine golden hair, wearing an elegant white dress with her families crest pressed onto a pink sash like cloak. It was one of the few times that Link had ever found himself fixated upon a woman, sure he had his fare share of women as he was obviously raised by them, but this young woman... innocence seemed to radiate from her very smile as she ran right up to the King. "Father! You've returned!"

King Harkinian smiled brightly as he embraced his daughter, picking her up and twirling her around before placing her back on the ground gently. It was actually a sight that Link found a bit surprising, such openness among a royal house was a truly odd sight indeed and had anyone been able to see through the veil of invisibility Link had activated just moments before, they would find that he was openly gaping at the sight before him. "Bright and cheerful as ever my dear, I trust you were well while I was away?"

Immediately the young blonde girl nodded, smiling softly as she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Yes... oh, Lord Dragmire's letter arrived earlier this morning, it's awaiting you in the lounge." The frown flashed quickly over the princesses' lips, although Link immediately caught it.

'_Dragmire... is he coming here? Could be trouble for me.' _Link frowned in thought as his eyes narrowed dangerously, before shaking his head and returning his attention to the event at hand.

The King put on a thoughtful look before nodding and smiling once more. "Ah yes of course, I shall speak to him soon enough."

Zelda for her part, quickly took a glance around and tilted her head as she looked up at the King. "Excuse me, Father, wasn't there another with you when you arrived, I thought I saw two people exit your carriage?"

"Ah, oh yes!" King Harkinian cried out, suddenly whirling around in search for Link. "There's someone I want you to me-... odd he was here not a moment ago... where did he-" A loud crash to the left of the group caused all heads to turn in the direction of the stables where a brilliant maple colored mare suddenly crashed through the fence blockades and began gallivanting about wildly, throwing her head back and neighing.

With an arched eyebrow, Link watched as the Princes' who were previously merely enjoying their time in the set out pasture, now attempted to rope and catch the mare. Chuckling quietly to himself, he moved over to the fence and rested his elbows on the railings as he watched the failed attempts to restrain the mare.

After the third time of nearly being kicked in the head by a rather pissed off mare, one of the Princes with long brown hair tied back into a ponytail, seemingly gave up and made his way over to the collected group. "That's not a horse it's a beast!" He cried out, patting his robes in an attempt to remove some nonexistent dust.

"Mansel, are you alright?" The girl known as Midaro rushed off to the young man, dabbing a cloth at the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. It was quite obvious that the two were involved in some matter or another albeit they were betrothed to different persons.

King Harkinian frowned as he ran his fingertips through his beard. "That mare was purchased from Lon Lon Ranches finest horses, I intended for it to be a gift for Lord Dragmire when he arrived... however if she can't be tamed then I suppose that the guards will merely have to kill it."

"_**Ribei!" **_

"There'll be no need for that!"

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Zelda snapped her gaze toward the fence post just as everyone else did. The sight that greeted her caused her face to flush and her eyes to remain fixated as she found her breath lost to her. Bright cerulean eyes, deeper than the sea sparkled beneath the shadow cast over the young man's face by his black cap. Shining, yet dark golden locks draped over his forehead, a deliciously well toned body taking a relaxed stance proved a mouth watering treat for the fair princesses eyes. She could not help but fight the urge to pounce on the man right then and there, after all, while she was a princess, she was still just a seventeen year old girl... if only for five more days.

"Just who are you and what is the nature of your business here?!" The angry cry came from Prince Mansel who was glaring daggers at the newcomer. At first Zelda couldn't fathom as to why Mansel was so upset... until she looked past him and saw the look on the faces of the other princesses, particularly Midaro's. The look of lust and interest plastered on the faces of the young girls was quite obvious, and had she herself not have been thinking three seconds ago, what they were thinking now, Zelda would have been repulsed by their behavior.

A small smirk played on the strangers lips as he jumped off of the fence, landing gracefully in front of Prince Mansel. "My business here... well I'll be sure to let you know just what it is once I do." The silky smooth voice that flowed from the lips of the strangers sent the other princesses into giggle fits as they cooed over him.

"Ah Link, there you are, I lost sight of you for a moment m'boy!" King Harkinian spoke out in a slightly amused voice as he walked up towards the blonde stranger, patting him on the shoulder.

Zelda watched in a curious fashion as the blonde gave a simple shrug and another small smirk. _'Link...hmm.' _She would remember that name very well, very well indeed.

"Well if I was in sight all the times, it'd be hard for me to do what I do, but never mind that the issue at hands is that the mare out there shouldn't be killed simply because it cannot be tamed by normal means." Link's tone became hard and his eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze turned back to the small pasture, where the other princes had given up as well and were heading towards them, many of them with hoof shaped bruises on their forearms and legs.

"Well then, you believe you can tame that unruly mare!?" Once again Mansel's tone reflected his distaste of the young man.

It was at this point, that Link merely met the prince's gaze with a cold hard stare. "No, I know for a fact I can get that mare to calm down." He replied, turning his back to the prince and walking back over to the fence. The group watched as Link fished through a small pouch on his waist, and slowly pulled out a small brown and green object, a wooden Ocarina.

Zelda blinked and observed in fascination as the young blonde man raised the ocarina to his lips, not a moment later a smooth yet exciting melody flowed out. The harmonious sound that echoed out was so exhilarating and so calm at the same moment that the blonde princess could have sworn she was listening to the music of nature itself. And sure enough, soon the wild mare that had been galloping around wildly moments ago was now trotting along slowly over towards Link. As soon as the mare reached the fence in front of the blonde man, the music ceased and Link lifted his hand up to brush his fingertips along the neck of the mare.

"Atta' Girl... calm down now, alright?" Link's voice was soothing as he patted the horse, who neighed and turned back, trotting off towards the stables where it laid down in the soft hay to doze off. With a grin, the blue eyed young man turned around keeping his gaze toward the King. "She's a half breed from a wild horse Your Majesty... she needs to be allowed to run around more often than the other horses."

King Harkinian nodded, although his bewilderment at what Link had just done was still apparent. "Ah of course... Link... if you are interested of hearing my request, we may speak in the throne room, I will go on ahead I have a bit of business to attend to, Zelda it would be best if you would come as well." He said, before turning around and walking up to the main gates of the castle and crossing over the smaller drawbridge to the castle entrance.

Link blinked in confusion as he watched the King walk away and disappear down the main hall. "How am I supposed to meet him when I have no bloody idea where the throne room is?" The blonde asked out loud to himself, although he did in fact know exactly where to meet the King, as he remembered almost the entire layout of the castle from his previous excursion through it, although for appearances sake...

"Ah, I will show you the way." The soft voice caused Link to turn his head, coming face to face with the blonde princess, out of reflex he bowed his head slightly and nodded. Zelda then turned back towards her royal companions and bowed toward them. "I'll be taking my leave now, we shall meet again for supper." She spoke before making her own way off toward the castle with Link following close behind. _'If Father went all the way out to meet him then... he must be...!"_

The other young princesses and noble daughters watched with a bit of envy as Zelda headed off with the blonde man known as Link. Although none of them would think much more of it afterward, while incredibly attractive and handsome, based on his demeanor, this Link character was probably just some commoner making a deal with the King about taxes.

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"I can't possibly do this!" Link cried out in frustration, smacking his palm against his forehead. The blonde was currently standing below the steps that led up to the throne, where the King was currently seated. To his left, Zelda stood with her arms crossed over her chest and her face growing redder in frustration by the second.

"Well why not? You should know the land better than anyone and you're more than capable for the job, you're The Sapphire of Shadow for Naryu's sake!" The desperation in the young woman's voice was none to subtle as she tried to convince the young warrior.

Instead of answering, Link merely turned and looked back up to the King, bringing his hand down from his face. "Your Majesty, I am not some tour guide... you're asking me to take the Princess all around Hyrule to see its wonders and guard her the whole time. Sir you do understand that the terrain itself is a possible deathtrap! Not to mention the beasts!"

Sighing, the King sat up straighter in his throne. "I shared your very same concerns when Zelda first asked this request of me... however you were chosen to do this for a reason, are you not the same Sapphire of Shadow who can travel from the Lake Hylia, to the peak of Death Mountain in a single day? And are you not the same Sapphire of Shadow who's fighting skills have become legendary in just over two years?" He questioned, causing the young man to cringe and curse at himself.

"Yes..." Link paused, taking a deep breath and knowing he was caught, it was indeed a relatively simple task. Escort the Princess around the land of Hyrule over the period of three months, protect her from any bandits or other dangers that could harm her, all while letting her have a bit of time to enjoy the wondrous scenery of the land... however. "But your highness, If something _were_ to happen I'd have all of Hyrule out for my head because I was unable to protect the princess!"

"I have confidence in you Link, if the rumors hold true you are the only one who can complete this task..."

The young man groaned, shaking his head. "Wouldn't it make more sense to send her out with some of the soldiers? Surely it would be a much safer way to travel for the Princess, and for Din's sake why now of all times?!"

The King paused, frowning as he let out a heavy sigh. "Link... in the world of royalty... when a princess comes of age she is expected to wed within a year, if not less. After Zelda is married her only time out of the castle will be for public appearances, in other words... this will most likely be the last chance she has to enjoy the outside world before she is shut off from it completely... surely there must be something you will accept in exchange for this service." The King's pleading voice was lower and softer than normal as he spoke.

Sighing, Link rubbed his temples with his fingertips. _'He really just wants to see his daughter happy doesn't he?... Gah, the risks though, if she were to be killed, I mean there's no way I can keep tabs on her at all times... wait a moment...' _The blonde opened his eyes suddenly, biting his bottom lip in thought before he spoke. "Very well." Both Zelda and the King brightened visibly at the answer, and the young princess looked as if she could just about hug the young warrior. "However... I require two things."

The King immediately nodded, arching an eyebrow at the young teen. "What would said things be?"

Link grinned as he looked back up at the King, meeting his gaze. "First off... compensation... and second off, the mare in the pasture... I want the horse."

The requests were fairly simple and as such, King Harkinian agreed. "Very well the horse is yours, and how does twenty thousand rupees given to you on your return from the trip sound?"

"Like a deal." Link replied, smirking as he turned around, facing the exit. "We ride after the celebration correct? In that case I will return on the morrow... I have some business I have to attend to." He said, before making his way down the exit with a grin.

King Harkinian blinked, standing up as Link made his exit. "Wait, where are you headed?"

The young man halted, smiling as he turned his head back to the King. "I don't scale Death Mountain just for the thrill of it sir, I had business when i arrived there, and now I intend to finish it." He answered, making his way out with a small bow as he exited. _'That girl owes me for this...'_

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**AN: Here's a fun fact for you all, the ancient Hylian words that Link uses are derived from great study of the Hylian language from information gathered throughout the entire existence of the Zelda world. The words are actual translations done by a few friends of mine and can also be found on some websites. For instance the word Link uses to vanish **_**Poell **_**means phantom, and the word **_**Ribei **_**means appear.**


	2. The stakes have changed

**AN: Ah sorry about the long wait my friends, but unfortunately I've been dealing with some issues that have kept me away from the computer. Also I've been paying more attention to my Evangelion fic and the only reason i have been compelled to write this chapter is because that damned Zelda Movie trailer hoax had me so worked up I came up with a bunch of ideas so... here we go!**

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Link grunted as he swung the hammer down onto the anvil once again, sparks flying everywhere with each thrust of the forging tool. With a small sigh he reached up with his free hand and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and stood up. "Finally... damn that was a pain, went through half the pelt just getting this right." He commented as he placed what he had just been working on into his leather satchel and tied it shut. The blonde was currently in the den of the second best weapon smith in all of Hyrule, the small cave that was used by the large goron who lived on the western side of death mountain.

"You make good?" The large booming voice shook the confines of the small cave and Link narrowly avoided a falling chunk of rock that fell from the ceiling of the cave. With a sigh the blonde adjusted his cap, smiling as he swung the satchel over his shoulder and turning towards the mouth of the cave, walking out and tossing behind him a purple rupee.

"Yes... thank you for letting me use your materials." Was the only reply he gave before he gave before running out and turning a sharp corner to the stone staircases that led up to the top and final level of Goron's Domain. Wasting no time, he pulled out a small metallic, rat like figure and smirked as he slammed it along the wall, not a second later the metallic rodent took of, swerving along the wall until it reached a cave and turned sharply, its continuous squeaking sound echoing until... BOOM!

Just a few steps later, Link appeared in the mouth of the exit, smiling at the rubble that had once been a large boulder, the smoke was even still clearing from the powerful explosion. "Gotta love bombchus..." He spoke to no one in particular as he headed straight forward into the darkness, the only conformation that he was headed in the right direction was the upbeat, melodic theme that was associated with the Lost Woods of the Kokiri Forest.

If there was one word that Link would use to describe the forest, it would have to be... familiar. In all honesty this particular area of Hyrule was the one he spent the least amount of time in, mainly due to the fact that he felt very peaceful here. The blonde thief found it surprisingly easy to lower his guard when visiting the ever-young children of the forest. Link could have for all rights and purposes, envisioned himself growing up in the Kokiri Forest... in another place and time that is, and for that very reason, he refused to stay there any longer than was absolutely necessary.

So, with great haste, he maneuvered his way through the extravagant and thoroughly annoying maze that was the Lost Woods, before finally reaching the entrance to the Forest Temple. While he had indeed ventured inside once or twice, it always mesmerized him with its many puzzles and he had made a mental note to examine it completely and unravel its mysteries, although not today.

It was easy to find her, as he had found her many times before, sitting on a large stump at the top of a narrow stairway to the courtyard of the temple. She was playing a small, brown and green wooden ocarina, identical to that of the one he had used to calm Epona at the castle. It had been she who presented him with it, and at first he had denied its acceptance, claiming it a useless gift as he already held the Ocarina of Time which he had stolen with her help (although he never flat out told her what he was going to do with the replica ocarina of time, he had a sneaking suspicion that she knew all along). However, upon her suggestion that it would be good to have a separate ocarina in the event that he needed to play the melodies he had learned in front of someone who DID know what the actual ocarina of time looked like... he accepted it.

Saria, the Sage of the forest, although she hardly acted like a sage. She had been the very first person who he met on his travels, that would learn his real name. In fact, he had found her in this very spot all those years ago, and upon his inquiry of why waste time playing an instrument... she taught him one of his most commonly used skills. The magic of music, she had explained to him that music was the truest connection to the goddesses, and through the medium of Instruments, worldly beings could tap into that raw and awesome powers.

Of course, he had been incredibly skeptical, having grown up learning that very few people in this land were to be trusted... at least until he had played his very first song through the ocarina. He then knew that there was no denying it, there was power, flowing through the small wooden objects in his hands. And he had demanded, albeit in a very kind way, as he had learned the ways of sweet talking, as to how to obtain more power from it.

It was then that he learned of it, her tale of a mystical Ocarina, forged by the Goddesses themselves. An instrument of such power that even the greatest of obstacles would disperse at the sound of its melodious tune, a single melody said to cause the darkest of nights into a bright and sunny day. He had eagerly asked as to what the object in question looked like, and as such Saria crafted a perfect imitation of said Ocarina. Three weeks later, the true Ocarina of TIme had been replaced with a fake... and none had been the wiser.

Without even a simple wave, the black clad blonde walked over to the stump where the small green haired girl regarded him with a smile as she kicked her legs back and forth over the edge of the stump. With a thud and numerous clatters, Link tossed the large burlap sack he had been carrying onto the grass, and out came an avalanche of large scales, teeth, and claws, all charred black from soot and ash. "I need you to fletch some arrows for me, these should make for some pretty good arrow tips."

Smiling brightly, the seemingly young girl giggled as she sorted through the materials provided her and tilted her head in question, and although Link would never admit it under pain of death... it made his friend look adorably cute. "Why do you need more arrows? I made plenty for you last time, and these materials will only make about three hundred, you go through more arrows than that in a week!" She exclaimed, miming an image of her firing off projectiles.

Frowning, the young blonde turned his gaze away and rubbed the bridge of his nose in an inconspicuous fashion. "They ah... aren't for me." He muttered, shrugging nonchalantly and waving his hand dismissively. "I need these made as a gift..." he trailed off a bit as he noticed the odd smile that the Kokiri child was giving him.

"For the Princess of Hyrule huh? These are some pretty high end arrows you want, you must really want to make sure she's gonna be fine on your trip!" Saria exclaimed, giggling in a childish way at the shocked face of the tall blonde.

"What!? How did you-?" He sputtered out in surprise, before his eyes narrowed darkly at the two floating balls of light that sped away from behind a nearby tree and headed back towards the village. "Fairies..." He growled out through gritted teeth, running a hand through his long blonde locks in annoyance. "So that old goat of a tree is still having me watched? I thought that ended months ago! I would have sensed those damn pixies following me unless..." He paused, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

Grinning, Saria snapped her fingers, a blinding green light erupting from them with such force that Link was forced to shield his eyes with his hands. As soon as he brought them down from his face however, he groaned... he was now standing in the grove that was home to none other than the Great Deku Tree. In all honesty, he did respect the deity of the forest, very much so... it was just that whenever the damn thing summoned him it usually had a job to be completed... and The Great Deku Tree's jobs didn't exactly pay off that well for Link in the end.

"_**Link... I trust you have been well since our last meeting?"**_ The once loud booming voice that would flow from the forest spirit, was now aged and weak, almost pleading. The full thick branches that would normally be seen on the tree were now frail and crumbling, the leaves now a dull brown, a sure sign that the deity had not long for this world, and Link felt a twinge of regret that the last time he had spoken to the great being, he had essentially and eloquently told it to 'fuck off'. It was almost enough to make him forgive the Great Deku Tree for putting him on watch... almost.

"Feh, you would know wouldn't you? Your little pixies are on tag along duty aren't they, I can't believe you still don't trust me! What more do i have to do to show you that I am not like Ganon, I saved your life for Naryu's sake!" Alright, so part of that was a lie, he was like Ganon in many ways, even he wasn't so blind as to notice that. They were both thieves, obsessed with things that did not belong to them. Both of them had been raised by the Gerudo as well, and as such were ruthless killers. However there was always one fine line that Link would never cross.

The young blonde had never and would never kill an innocent being, albeit right now he was considering skewered and roasted fairy for a quick lunch.

"_**The sprites were not following you young one... they were there as means of communication to me, and as guardians to another."**_

Puzzled, Link arched an eyebrow in question, the words playing over and over again in his mind. _'If they weren't there for me then...' _He gave a wry and empty laugh, short but disbelieving. "The Royal Family!?" He exclaimed with another laugh. "I understand your loyalty to Hyrule, but the affairs of the castle are a bit out of your jurisdiction aren't they?" He stopped once more to shake his head. "I mean, the only one of the bunch who even has a smidgen of talent for the magicks is the..." Once again, he stopped, but this time a look of realization hit him. "Zelda..."

Solemnly, and slowly, the Deku Tree smiled, the creaking of wood echoing as it did so. _**"Indeed... she is much more than she appears at first glance. I know of your mission to protect her for three moon cycles, as well as your plan for her coming of age party... You must not steal anything from the royal family on that night Link!"**_ The last sentence was spoken in the booming and loud voice that Link had been accustomed to when speaking to the Deity. _**"You will be needed to guard the Princess on that night!"**_

Narrowing his eyes, the blonde inwardly cursed, biting his lip in anger. "You can't be serious... she's going to be in danger?" He questioned, knowing of the Deku Tree's foreknowing of danger. "She's going to be surrounded by hundreds of people who would make a move there!" As if mocking him, the Great Deku Tree raised an eyebrow, and Link frowned. "Dragmire... you really think he'd be that foolish?"

"_**Promise me Link, that you will guard the ...Princess on her ...night of ...eighteen ...years!" **_An odd, rasping sound croaked from within the large tree, and Link watched in shock as the gaping holes in the trunk of the tree that formed its eyes seemed to roll back and its mouth to close.

"What the... Impossible!" It simply couldn't be, right here, right now, in front of him... The Great Deku Tree... was dying. "You can't be fading so fast! Your life cycle should be at least a few more years, the only way you could be gone so fast is... NO! HE DIDN'T, HE COULDN'T HAVE!" Link screamed out, his voice filled with malice as he dawned upon the reason for the elder beings quick demise.

"_**It appears... the Dark One... was more... cunning than we... thought."**_

As quick as that, the Great Deku Tree spoke no more. It's rich, golden brown color fading into a dull, grey, blackened shade and the last of its leaves fell to the ground just moments later.

Saria, who had been standing next to the tall blonde, broke out in silent, heartfelt sobs, while Link himself, allowed a short appreciative bow to the corpse of the once great being. It was inevitable now, without the benevolent spirit of The Great Deku Tree, he forest would become infested with monsters of all kinds, and become a truly treacherous place. At least until a new Deku Tree could sprout and gain power that is, he would just have to deal with that problem when it arose however.

"How could this have happened?" Saria choked out, crying freely as she placed her hand on the base of the towering figure of the dead tree.

"He took it..."

Confused, Saria turned her gaze on Link, her eyes filled with question as she spoke, demanding to know what had killed her mentor. "Took what, who?"

Gritting his teeth, Link turned around, his fists clenched in anger and a solemn promise... a promise to avenge the death of the fallen deity. "Ganon, he has the spiritual stone of the forest."

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Zelda awoke much earlier than she normally would have on a day where she had no meetings to go to, or obligations to her father or her princess duties . Now normally on a day such as today she would have laid in bed for as long a possible, guests to entertain be damned. However on this particular morning she had awoken just before dawn the cuckoos not even have crowed their usually annoying call to awaken half of Hyrule.

In a flash the young princess had taken her morning bath without the help of the maids that usually insisted upon her not doing anything, and dressed in a simple, yet elegant gown before dashing down to the dining hall from her chambers high in the northwest tower.

The blonde princess was incredibly excited, not due to the fact that her birthday was only four more days away, nor for the reason that the remaining suitors had arrived last night and today she would be spending almost each and every moment of her day today with at least one of them. No, the reason for Zelda's excitement was that none other than Link was going to return today and she was incredibly anxious to spend time with the handsome blue eyed man that had subsequently been the center of a not so appropriate dream she had last night.

As she rounded down the stairs, Zelda allowed her thoughts to drift back to her dream and her face flushed just from the memory and she fought the urge to run back up to her bed in order to return to said dream. Instead she lifted up the hem of her dress as to stop herself from tripping while she practically ran down the long hallway, stopping at the large oak doors that led to the dining hall and pushed them open with great strength from such a small and fragile woman. With a bright smile the young woman slowed her pace down and made her way over to the head of the incredibly long and seemingly ongoing table where her father was currently seated and had waved her over. Immediately she noticed that another person was sitting to the right of her father, and although she could not see his face, she knew it must have been Link. Quickening her pace she came to her father's left side, glancing towards the man to her father's right... and instantly her bright smile fell to a frown of despair and disappointment.

There, sitting before her was not the blonde haired, blue eyed man that she had hoped for. Rather, now she was staring at a rather large and bulky man in black armor, a path of fire red hair and soulless black eyes that stared back at her and caused an unnatural shiver to crawl down the princess' spine.

"Ah my dear, I don't believe you've yet had the pleasure of meeting him in person." Her father's booming and seemingly amused voice broke her free from the mans piercing gaze, for which she was extremely grateful. "This is lord Ganondorf Dragmire, the leader of the Gerudo Tribe."

Suddenly the large man stood up from his chair, and Zelda inwardly gulped at the fact that this man, was a giant, he stood at a good eight feet tall. Every second she found staring at this man only showed more and more of his intimidating and dark appearance. Unable to move, the blonde princess could only bite her lip as Ganon bent down and took her hand, kissing it and stepping away, as was the customary greeting from a man to a lady in Royals. It took much effort on her part not to gag at the feeling of his dry, sandy lips on her flesh and she noted that she would be washing that hand for a good hour when she got the chance.

"Ah, Princess Zelda, I have heard much about you... only four more days until you are a true woman..." The blonde princess did not take a liking to the way Ganondorf spoke, nor the look in his eyes as he did so. "Well my dear I-." Thankfully for Zelda, the doors once more burst open and in filed all the noble teenagers who had just awoken, further cutting off Ganondorf's introduction.

If one looked closely, they would have found that all of the teenagers were stepping with a quite bit of haste towards the head of the table, a silent but understood race as to who would sit closest to the royal family. In the end it merely became a lot of awkward shuffling in an attempt to get a seat without looking like a bumbling idiot... lot of good that did them, or at least that was Zelda's sarcastic opinion.

"King Harkinian, what a pleasant morning it is, don't you think so?" The far too cheery and happy comment came from none other than Prince Mansel, who's green eyes seemed a bit dull as if he had been robbed of sleep, and Zelda took a small note that Princess Midaro had a slight limp in her step when she walked. Pursing her lips into a frown Zelda took her seat next to her father, and across from Ganondorf... who continually glanced at her throughout the entire meal.

Breakfast was a rather quiet affair, except for the occasionally gossiping between the teens on the latest affairs they had been subject to... out of earshot of the King of course. All throughout the meal, Zelda merely picked at her food, taking the occasional bite now and again, every few moments she would glance toward the door, as if expecting link to burst in and join them for breakfast at the last second. However, such fortune was not to be as the meal came to an end and all moved to excuse themselves,only to be stopped by King Harkinian.

"Ah, my good children, Lord Dragmire has brought to my attention that the kitsune foxes are out and lingering in the fields, I was wondering if you would all like to join us on a hunt?" The tall man asked smiling warmly, while the teens all looked at each other with a slight look of dread.

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Not two hours later, the group found themselves being hoarded off towards Hyrule Field, the women in carriages with open windows as to watch the hunt, and the young men riding on horseback, fully equipped with bows and quivers full of arrows in order to participate. The King and Ganondorf were up ahead, closely following the hounds that had been set out to track.

"How dreadfully boring..." Zelda turned her gaze toward the young woman in the same carriage who had made that comment, her long blonde hair was down in curls and her chocolate brown eyes seemed dull as she waved a small fan in front of her face. Elizabeth was her name, and she was a noble from the land of Termina, a small and secluded land, yet with the most beautiful sights, or so Zelda had heard.

At that moment a young man with short black hair trotted up next to the carriage on his horse, smiling brightly as he looked inside. "It's not so bad, I think it's rather pleasant to get out of the castle and get a bit of fresh air, don't you Zelda?"

The young blonde princess offered a small, yet not heartfelt smile at the young man known as Hector. He was in all truths and appearances a nice boy, if a bit too pleasant, it seemed that he hardly had any ambition or a taste for risk in him, not the top suitor Zelda would like but she hardly had much else to work with. Of all the suitors who had arrived at the castle, Hector seemed to be the only one who was not interested in the throne as the main prize. As a matter of fact, the only other Prince to have even spoke to her was Prince Blaze, who reminded her much too wholly of Ganondorf.

"Are you sure you wouldn't much prefer to ride with me Zelda?" And speak of the devil, said young man had just made his appearance.

Putting on the best fake smile she could, and that was a rather convincing one as her position required doing that quite a bit, Zelda turned her gaze toward the opposite window of the carriage, coming face to face with Blaze. The young man had fire red hair and unusual yellow eyes that gazed at her with incredible lust.

Zelda was just as wary of Blaze as she was Ganon, she was positive that if the young man ever had the chance, he would throw her up against the nearest wall and take her right then and there.

"Oh... no Blaze, I'm perfectly fine in here..." Her violet eyes seemed to sparkle as she spoke, as if hinting more, however those who would take the time to know the Hylian Princess would soon find that her eyes sparkling meant one of two things. Happiness, and lying...

A loud horn blew up ahead, signaling that the hounds had found something... and further saved Zelda from having to speak with her would be suitors, particularly Blaze. In an instant all the men had galloped forward, and Zelda as well as several of the other Princesses had jumped out of the carriages in order to see what the hounds had captured. The sight that befell the group was not at all what they had expected.

The hounds were circling a small patch of thick grass, growling viciously and barking as the men all had their bows posed with their arrows notched, giving each other odd looks. Normally the hounds would have driven the foxes out of their den, rather than circling the den itself.

"Enough of this... call the hounds back and fire!" The order came from Mansel, who despite being a novice rider, supposedly had great experience in hunting. And as soon as the hounds had drawn back, the arrows flew, a good forty or fifty piercing straight into the patch of thick grass, yet know yelp or sound of pain was heard, only silence. And then, as most else would say... all hell broke loose.

In an instant, a series of bloodcurdling howls were let out and eight large, grey beasts with glowing yellow eyes burst out from the patch of grass. Howling and snaring as they easily ripped apart the hounds who merely whimpered as they were slaughtered. The young women ran back into their carriages, screaming loudly as the guards came round to protect the nobles, their spears drawn, although they seemed to be cowering as they had never before seen wolfos of such size.

"Zelda, what are you doing, get in your carriage!" Hector cried out as he mounted his horse, causing the King, Ganondorf, and Blaze to whip their heads around and find a large, drooling, bloodthirsty wolfos towering over the Hylian Princess, this one the size of a large house. Time seemed to slow down as the great beast raised its paw up above its body, its long claws gleaming as it swiped down, intent on shredding the girl to pieces.

"ZELDA!" Hector's scream fell on deaf ears as he fired an arrow at the beast, only for it to stick in the large, thick coat of the wolfos and do no damage.

"PRINCESS!" A collective cry from the Princes ad Princesses who were watching the scene with horror in their eyes.

"NO!!" Harkinian cried out as the guards held him back from rushing out to his daughter and meeting his death.

Zelda could only stand, shaking in fear as the claws came closer and closer. She couldn't believe it, how could she die now, of all times, just when freedom was so close within her grasp. As tears slid down her cheeks, she shut her eyes, clasping her hands together and praying to the goddesses to save her.

All spectators clenched their eyes shut as the sound of flesh being sliced through echoed out, and a huge cloud of smoke emerged as the giant wolfos slammed his paw down, making a small earthquake.

Zelda felt as if she were flying, soaring through the air and feeling light as a feather. _'This is death? It's not so bad... it doesn't hurt at all.' _She thought with a bittersweet smile as she wiped the tears from her cheek, keeping her eyes closed as she allowed herself to enjoy the sensation of floating... until a rather abrupt jolt caused her to snap her eyes open. The Hylian Princess stared wide eyed as she looked up into the handsome features of Link, his blonde locks seemed more golden and richer than they had before, and his cobalt blue eyes met hers with a bit of mirth and amusement. "L-Link?" She squeaked out, not believing she could have been saved from her fate.

"You know... you're supposed to dodge when something attacks you, guess that's something else I'll have to teach you before we ship off, eh Princess?" He offered with a smirk, chuckling a bit as she continued to stare gobsmacked at him, then she blushed profusely at the position they were in, the blonde was carrying her bridal style, one arm under hers and his other under her legs, although since her dress had ridden up when he had moved her, it was now flesh on flesh, a sensation that caused the Princess to bite her lip and shiver.

A wet, warm feeling on her arm broke her free of her daydream and teenage wandering fantasies. She looked down to find her right arm and the sleeve of her dress completely soaked in a pooling red liquid. Blood... she knew on instinct that she was not the one bleeding, so that left...

"You're hurt!" Zelda exclaimed, her eyes catching sight of a large gash on his shoulder, courtesy of a certain wolfos' claws. Slowly, the secret thief set her down and hissed a bit in pain as he clutched his wound.

"Feh, only a scratch... I'll deal with it once this is over with..." The blonde man commented, and it was only then that Zelda realized that they were now surrounded by the wolfos, and the Alpha Male was now looming towards them. The King, as well as all the others were now off to the side, screaming and shouting as they waved their hands, indicating that they needed to make their escape quickly. "Hold on..."

"What?" The young girl had no time to comprehend what the blonde hero had meant by his statement, as he suddenly grabbed her by the waist and jumped, flipping back over one of the smaller wolfos, using his free hand to unsheathe one of his scimitars and deliver a lethal slice to the wolfos he had just cleared. The inhuman and pained howling that followed seemed to enrage the remaining beasts as they watched one of their own go up in blue flames before disappearing.

Once again, Zelda was suddenly thrown, this time landing in the arms of one of the guards who had rushed forward to retrieve the Princess. "Get her out of here, hide behind the rocks!" Link cried out, drawing his second blade and falling into a loose stance, his eyes suddenly turning dark and dangerous as he turned back towards the pack of bloodthirsty animals.

In a flash he was upon them, slicing and hacking away at the wolfos. Howls and splashes of greenish blood flowed out endlessly as beast after beast fell, bursting into blue flames much like their brother before them. The tide turned quickly, it would seem as four wolfos suddenly circled the young man, their glowing, unnatural yellow eyes narrowed in seemingly anger, should the beasts have been capable of such an emotion.

The black clad man stood still as the wretched beasts stopped, lurching back before they suddenly launched themselves at him from all directions. Claws extended and fangs bared as they drew nearer and nearer, it would be impossible to stop all four at once... Slowly, Link smirked, punching his hands together and all things seemed to stop as he slammed his fist down onto the ground beneath him.

"**DIN'S FIRE!"**

An explosion... that was the only word that the spectators who watched the battle could use to describe what happened. An enormous sphere of fire flew out, sending the wolfos' flying back, howling and screaming as they were burned alive.

Standing back up straight, Link offered a wry grin, now all that was left was the- "GAH!" He had not been expecting it, the second he had turned around the Alpha Male had struck, sweeping at him with it's enormous claws and sending him flying back a good twenty feet. He hadn't even another second before the damned beast pounced on him, pinning him to the ground with it's paw and snapping at him.

On pure instinct he raised his blades, meeting the wolfos' fangs as he attempted to hold it off. However, that action was becoming increasingly difficult, as the more he struggled, the more pressure was put on his body, slowly draining him of air. With a grunt, Link rolled to the side, slamming his scimitar through the beast's paw and pinning it to the ground.

The large wolfos let out a roar of pain, however, before it could strike with it's other paw, Link pierced his second blade through it, effectively halting it's assault. The large beast slammed it's head on the ground in pain, slowly opening its eyes... only to come face to face with a glowing red light.

The blonde warrior smirked as he pulled the bowstring back, the tip of his arrow becoming engulfed in a flame that grew brighter and stronger with each passing second. Grinning, Link spoke only two words as he released the string and let the arrow fly into the beast's skull.

"_**Rundey Sahar..."**_

Not a second later, the great howl of the beast echoed out throughout the land. And soon after that, Link swayed, falling to the floor with a thud as his bow fell out of his hands.

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**AN: Finally... that damn chapter took forever, though thats mainly due to the fact that where I am, it's been over one hundred and five degrees for over a week straight and my brain has been fried. Anyway hope you all liked the chapter, next up should be a bit more interesting...**

**Translations: **

**Rundey: Means ****Flame**** in Hylian**

**Sahar: Means ****Arrow**

**READ AND REVIEW!!**


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